The Other Half
by Dragon-Master-Hiei
Summary: An alternate reality where Hiei met Kuronue who adopted him as his younger brother when he was young. This has change the path of Hiei's life dramatically but one problem still remains. Hiei cannot understand why he becomes such a monster when he fights.


The Other Half

(AKA: Kuronue makes some damn good hot chocolate and I need to freakin' sleep at night!!)

Hiei stood on the edge of the building, staring down at the ground bellow. He was so focused on the distance to the ground that he didn't even hear someone come up behind him.

"You're doing it again." A familiar voice said.

Hiei stiffened in surprise before relaxing. "Doing what again?" he replied in his usual, flat, emotionless voice that carried the cold, hard edge to it.

Kaname "Sniper" Hagiri shoved his hands in the pockets of his red leather jacket. "You've got that blank look on your face you get when you're thinking of yourself as two different people." Hiei merely shrugged so Sniper continued. "And you're so sick and tired of some half of yourself that you're tempted to throw yourself off the roof in an attempt to kill that half… Even if it won't work."

Hiei sighed. Sniper was right. Even though it was high enough to kill a human if they threw themselves off, it wasn't high enough to kill a youkai like Hiei. "So how could you tell?" he asked the younger half demon.

Sniper smirked slightly, proud of himself for figuring out the older half-breed so well. "Well… It's snowing for one." Hiei looked at Sniper incredulously… Was he really that easy to read? "For two, you're standing right on the edge and normally when you get three feet within the ledge you freeze up. And three… You do this every winter. Kuronue just wanted me to come up here and make sure you weren't really going to throw yourself off this time."

Hiei laughed softly, his cold demeanor gone. "Figures. He's known me for seven hundred years now and he still thinks I'll get the strength to end it."

Sniper frowned. "It isn't strength you need, onii-san." Hiei blinked and looked at his adopted younger brother. "You have plenty of that. What won't let you fall is your bravery. The brave endure life. They won't end it like a coward would."

Hiei smiled and nodded. "Yeah… Guess you're right."

Sniper smirked now that Hiei was no longer in one of his moods. "So… Kuronue was talking about how much of jackass you used to be. Is it true?"

"Yeah." Hiei replied, laughing. "Lucky you, Kuronue's rubbed off on me a lot. I used to be a little monster."

"You still can be!" Kuronue called from the rooftop door, his bat-like wings folded neatly behind him to protect him from the cold. "Now both of you get your asses in here before I send one of the kitsune out after you!" Kuronue scowled. "And I don't want to have to do that! You know how much they bitch when I make them do something they don't want to but I am _NOT_ going out into the cold!"

Hiei and Sniper both laughed and headed to the door as two other voices complained and began insulting Kuronue in the kitsune language. Kuronue's ears twitched as he looked at Hiei. "You've picked up more than I have, kid. What are they saying?" he scowled again. "I know it isn't good."

Hiei grinned. "They're practically worshipping you," he replied then slipped past the taller and older demon to get inside the warm building. Sniper was laughing and their two kitsune companions snickered at Hiei's reply to his older brother.

Kuronue glared at Hiei. "Smart ass! Why'd you have to learn so damn much from me, little brother?!"

Hiei shrugged, grinning. Kuronue laughed and grinned back, giving up the fight for the moment. He would get Hiei back later when he least expected it and Hiei wouldn't complain. After all… Kuronue was probably the only reason Hiei wasn't dead, or worse… The monster a lot of youkai claimed he was and could be. Kuronue was the reason that monster hadn't taken over Hiei's mind, body and soul and for that Hiei would always be in debt and grateful to the pure-blooded shadowmancer.

A good while later, once the fun and games were over, Sniper smiled at everyone. "Well, I should get going. Tsuya's probably is wondering where the hell I went."

Hiei smirked. "Probably misses her target."

Sniper glared playfully. "Shut up, jackass."

Hiei merely laughed as Sniper waved and left.

And a little while later, everyone turned in for bed, except for Kuronue, who like a normal Ningenkai bat didn't sleep until later in the night. Instead, he sat by the window watching the snowfall, his long, pointed, sensitive ears catching the soft sound of the snowflakes hitting the ground and windows' ledge, collecting together until they became a big, white mass.

Another noise caught Kuronue's attention. His ears twitched as he quickly pinpointed the sound and he turned around to face it. It was just Hiei, out of bed again. Kuronue sighed and smiled. The poor kid never stopped his winter habits. Centuries and centuries had gone by, and they were likely to never stop. "What's wrong now, kid?" Kuronue asked.

Hiei merely walked over and sat by the window, next to Kuronue, his expression filled with many mixed emotions and yet unreadable all the same. He remained silent for a long moment, just watching the snow as Kuronue had. "… I just can't sleep." Hiei replied, obviously changing his mind on what he had originally planned to say.

Kuronue shook his head. It was like a ritual for the young fire Koorime. Every year it was the same. "Having those dreams again?" Hiei nodded. "Alright. Let's see if we can't find a way to fix that. How about you go heat up some water and I'll make us some of my famous hot chocolate."

Hiei made a face. "You're "famous hot chocolate" involves dumping various alcoholic drinks in a cup of hot chocolate."

Kuronue grinned, showing long, vampire-like fangs. "But it knocks you out cold each time, doesn't it?"

Hiei laughed. "Yeah, it does." He admitted. Plus it kept his dreams at bay… Hiei had lived through something he didn't want to remember. For ten years of his life, he knew what that thing was but when he met Kuronue, he slowly forgot and locked it into his mind. He repressed the memories and now he couldn't recall it to save his life. He knew his fear of heights and his dislike of snow were because of these memories, but no matter what the half-breed did, he couldn't remember them.  
Kuronue believed that Hiei had repressed them when he was still young so that he had a chance to change his life and make it better. When he had first met Hiei, he was far too serious for a kid… of course in Makai you weren't a kid for long, if you were at all. Luckily, Kuronue had been able to teach Hiei how to "look to the bright side" of a situation.

Of course, the down side to Hiei repressing these memories he had repressed a part of himself as well. Kuronue knew this all too well. He had done something like that himself by becoming a whole different person. Hiei on the other hand had his "monster". Everyone saw it when Hiei fought or lost his temper. It was as wild and untamed as the fire he controlled and it was this part of himself Hiei hated. Kuronue also knew that all too well. With a big grin he handed Hiei a cup of his famous hot chocolate and took a big drink of his own, ignoring how hot it was.

Hiei took a drink of his, not bothered by the temperature. He was a fire demon after all. Hot things didn't bother him since he couldn't burn. He did, however, notice the 'burning' of the alcohol going down his throat and warming him up. Kuronue held back a laugh as he felt the room get warmer as well. The fire Koorime closed his eyes and let it do its work. Slowly relaxing him until he felt giddy and sleepy. After eight hundred years of loving drinks like this, Kuronue knew the perfect mix of drinks to calm the nerves.

Kuronue watched, as Hiei slowly grew more and more tired. After a half hour, the half-breed climbed back into his bed, curled up and went to sleep, barely having enough energy to cover himself up.

Kuronue made sure his little brother was all tucked in then sat back down by the window to finish his own drink before turning in for bed himself.

The next morning a loud crash woke Hiei up. He had a mild headache from Kuronue's "famous" hot chocolate and reluctantly pulled the pillow off of his head to look around the small apartment.

Kuronue was trying to teach Naoko, one of the kitsune youkai, how to cook again. Hiei groaned as Naoko dropped something else while rushing to save whatever in hell was burning on the stove. "Just give up on her already, Kuronue…." Hiei moaned, pulling the pillow back over his head. Kurama, the other kitsune and Naoko's older brother, watched in amusement at a safe distance away.

Kuronue snickered. "Never!"

Hiei pulled the pillow off his face again. "You made another bet with Kurama didn't you?" Hiei accused. Kuronue merely grinned, answering Hiei's question without saying a single word.

Naoko squeaked and started swearing vividly in kitsune as a stray paper towel touched the fire on the stove and burst into flames. Kuronue's ears twitched as he looked over. "Uh oh. Code red, kid!"

Hiei groaned again and snapped his fingers, the flame jumping to his hand obediently before disappearing as Hiei absorbed its power. It got rid of his headache at the very least.

"Thanks, Hiei-sama." Naoko said, shutting the stove off as Kurama laughed. "How about we just go out to get breakfast?"

Kurama grinned. "Sounds fine with me. Whatever's in that pan probably isn't even editable."

Hiei, of course, added his muffled smart-ass remark. "And it's liable to bite us back if we _do_ try to eat it."

Naoko glared at Hiei and his added insult. If he was going to make smart-ass remarks he could at least take the pillow off of his face. "Because we all know that you would try to eat it, Hiei-sama."

Hiei merely waved a hand in acknowledgement, trying to shake off the rest of his mild hangover. Kurama snickered, amused at how the fire Koorime could take about everything thrown at him in stride except a mild hangover, never mind a full-blown-mindnumbing-want-to-shoot-yourself-in-the-head-hangover like Kuronue would get after a good night of celebrating something or another.

Kuronue grabbed a pillow and threw it at Hiei. "Time for you to wake up anyway, kid." Hiei ignored the assault and curled up more under his layers of blankets. Kuronue scowled and opened a window, scooping up a handful of snow. Naoko and Kurama both stepped back to a safe distance to avoid the fight that was about to start.

The bat youkai pulled the blankets from Hiei's bed and shoved the snow up against Hiei's bare stomach. The fire Koorime swore vividly in every language he knew as he jumped to his feet, the air in the room heating up dramatically. Kuronue laughed, until Hiei nailed him hard in the face with a pillow. Hiei insulted Kuronue in kitsune as the two fox youkai began laughing hysterically.

Kuronue scowled. "I _STILL_ WANNA KNOW WHAT THE _HELL_ YOU GUYS ARE _FREAKIN'_ CALLING ME!!"

Hiei glared at him. "I called you a _god_ and apologized for sleeping in, O' Great One."

Kuronue glared back. "Okay, kid. I get it. You _love_ picking on my ego. You know, it doesn't matter that you're my little brother. I'll still kick your ass."

Hiei pulled his shirt on. "Yeah. I know. You did that just last week." Kurama and Naoko laughed and Kuronue continued to glare at Hiei as he pulled his boots on. "So are we going to get food or what?"

"Yeah, yeah… Just don't boil my sake like you did "last week"… Or I'll have to kick your ass again." Kuronue muttered, walking out. Kurama followed. Hiei looked at Naoko as she began to walk out. She paused and gave him a questioning look. The fire Koorime grinned and winked at the kitsune. She laughed and walked out. Flirting was the other thing that Hiei had picked up all too well from Kuronue, and anyone who knew Hiei when we was an almost emotionless sociopath found it hilarious that he was so damn good at it. Of course, he had learned while still young that if he flirted with any other youkai Naoko would become jealous. Hiei wouldn't admit that he enjoyed the fact that the kitsune would get jealous. It made him feel loved.

As the youkai group began changing their appearances, Kuronue hiding his wings and ears, Kurama taking on his human appearance, and Naoko hiding her ears and tail, Hiei looking human enough except for his crimson eyes and his two-toned black and white hair, they walked outside and began heading towards their favorite sushi restaurant. Naoko walked in first as Hiei casually walked over to the cash register and paid for their little group. Kuronue and Naoko found a nice little booth in the corner of their favorite restaurant. Kurama and Hiei soon joined them.

"So when are we heading back to Makai?" Kurama asked.

Kuronue stole a piece of sushi from Kurama's plate as Naoko stole his green-tea flavored ice cream. "I guess after breakfast." The bandits were so famous in Makai it was dangerous for them to stay there anymore, so instead they hid out in the Ningenkai, sleeping there and relaxing there as they saw fit. "We're still on for that whole gold phoenix statue, right kid?"

Hiei nodded. "Yeah." Hiei wasn't one for gold but he loved birds of all kinds and when he caught sight of the phoenix statue he knew he was going to steal it. "Tonight once the sun goes down."

Naoko looked at Hiei. "You really want this thing, huh?" Hiei nodded and Naoko shrugged. "Alright. I guess we'll all find out why you want it so bad when we see it, right?" Again, Hiei nodded. Naoko made a face. Ever since they first met, it was useless to try and talk to Hiei when he was thinking.

… When they first met, it was useless to talk to Hiei at all.

Hiei got up and grabbed some food for himself and as he had done since he could remember, he ate it '_enthusiastically'._ While coughing and choking, Naoko smacked him on his back until he managed to swallow his food correctly.

"Seriously, kid…" Kuronue said between bites. "Slow down."

Hiei scowled. "I can't help it. Seven hundred years of instincts is hard as hell to break, onii-san." Growing up in Makai, one habit that Hiei had never broken was the fact that in Makai food wasn't safe until it was in your stomach. So Hiei had learned to 'inhale' his food, as Naoko always put it.

After a good breakfast, the youkai group returned to their small apartment. Hiei took a breath of the warm air and allowed his body to warm itself and the air around him. He looked around their apartment. Most of it was a mess of makeshift beds and piles of blankets and pillows. There was a small kitchen area that was still a mess from Naoko's sad attempt at cooking, a small couch by a window that was covered in blankets and pillows and Naoko's radio sitting on a nightstand next to the couch along with her CD collection and sketchbooks.

It wasn't much and it was a mess but at least it was warm and his family was here, so Hiei gladly called it home. Naoko claimed the couch and picked up one of her many sketchbooks as Kuronue sat next to her, his long legs stretched out in front of him. Kurama made himself comfortable in his pile of blankets and pillows on the floor and Hiei stretched out on his small bed.

As Kuronue and Kurama started talking about their different plans to get into the castle that held the golden phoenix Hiei wanted, Hiei felt himself drift off into sleep. He didn't even have a chance to fight it off before he was dreaming.

_Pure white snow falling down, voices, a woman crying his name then the feeling of a sudden drop, the shock of cold water closing around him, surrounding him in darkness and leaving him unable to breath…_

Hiei sat up, crying out in fear. Kuronue was on his feet as Naoko quickly went to Hiei's side to comfort him while Kurama watched with concern in his eyes. Hiei couldn't stop the trembling, or his racing heart.

"What is it, little brother? Did you remember anything?" Kuronue asked, concerned.

Hiei shook his head then paused. "Snow…" he managed to say, his voice cracking. Kuronue sighed. It was always snow. That was always the only thing the fire Koorime could remember. Again, the thought crossed Kuronue's mind to take Hiei to Koorime and see if his memories would come back, but he wouldn't do that to the kid. Just seeing the floating island made the fire Koorime afraid that his "monster" would take over. It didn't matter anyway… Hiei would calm himself down and in ten minutes no one would bring it up and everything would return to normal.

And it did. Soon the youkai were preparing to go steal the golden phoenix statue. Hiei arming himself with various weapons he hid along his clothes and his prized silver katana, Naoko checking to make sure her favorite black rose was tucked neatly against the nape of her neck, just as her brother had taught her while Kurama grabbed a few cloth bags of seeds, which he organized by color. Kuronue cleaned his favored handheld scythe and tucked it in his belt, then fixed his hat and smirked.

"Are we already to go?" he asked. Hiei smirked back, giving his reply as the two kitsune nodded.

"When are we not?" Naoko asked.

"Good point, fox." Kuronue replied and teleported to Makai, leading the way. The others followed eagerly.

((To be continued...))


End file.
